Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has departed
for his visit to Sikkim and West Bengal, where he is scheduled to deliver teachings
from December 12 to 14.
This visit has heightened diplomatic
discussions regarding the ongoing border tension between Bharat and China.
During his tour, Dalai Lama will give
teachings in Gangtok, which is just about 50 kilometres away from the China
border. He will give teachings on Gyalsey Thokme Sangpo’s 37 practices of a
Boddhisattva (leklen sodunma) in the morning at Paljor Stadium at the request
of the Sikkim Government.
After this, he will leave for teachings
in West Bengal’s Salugara on December 14. He will give a general teaching
followed by the Ceremony for Generation of Bodhicitta (semkye) at Sed-Gyued
Monastery.
Dalai Lama’s secretary Chimi Rigzin
said, “His Holiness is going to Sikkim at the invitation of the Sikkim Government
and CM Prem Singh Tamang. He will be there for two days to give teachings at
Paljor Stadium and the next day there is a State banquet for his holiness and
then on the 14th morning he goes to Salugara.”
Talking about the significance of Sikkim
for the spiritual leader, Rigzin stated the Northeastern State is the first location
of Bharat which his holiness visited in 1956 to attend the 2,500th anniversary
of the Buddha Jayanti.
“So, he has since then visited Sikkim
quite a few times and becomes quite sentimental whenever he visits the State,”
continued the secretary.
On possible diplomatic stir, Rigzin
shared, “Well, Sikkim is a State of Bharat so China has no reason to be annoyed
because China also recognises Sikkim as a State of Bharat,” added the Dalai
Lama’s secretary.
NE Watch Desk
